The long-tailed hyena evolved from the modern spotted Hyena and went on to inhabit desert areas further up north. It does not have many differences from the spotted hyena besides it's paler, plain coat, longer tail, longer legs and larger ears. Most of the changes are behavioral. It has an average lifespan of 38 years in the wild.
Taxonomy:
Level
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Hyaenidae
Genus
Crocuta
Species
Caudaprolix
Habitat
Map of the Long-tailed Hyena's habitat (green)
The long-tailed Hyena is native to North Africa and lives throughout more fertile areas of the Sahara desert during the wet season, where gazelles are abundant. Because the environment they live in can be very harsh and dry, they tend to burrow underground to keep cool.
They migrate constantly to find new water sources and prey, turning south to moister and more vegetated areas once the wet season is over. No long term territories are maintained and dens are only constructed during mating season in the spring.
Smaller groups can also be found in vegetated basins near the Sahel, or on the grasslands on low hills in the Sahel outcrops.
Adaptations
Structural Adaptation One:
The increased temperature of their habitat has caused the long-tailed hyena to sport larger ears with more blood vessels. These blood vessels allow more heat to escape into the air and help them can cool themselves down more quickly. By moving their ears back and forth, they can lower their temperature even further. Their larger ears help them to hear higher frequencies, as well as detect creatures underground that have the potential to be delicious snacks.
Structural Adaptation Two:
Due to the increase in temperature, long-tailed hyenas cannot afford to chase prey for long hours on end and prefer to finish their hunts before the sun comes up. Thus, they have become more balanced in terms of endurance and speed and can travel faster. Their longer, flatter tails give them an edge in turning at angles. As well, their slightly longer legs give them a boost in speed at the cost of a small amount of power.
Behavioural Adaptation One:
The long-tailed hyenas almost never show themselves during the day to avoid the extreme heat of their desert environment. By feeding entirely at night and early morning, cubs can obtain sufficient water from the dew formed on leaves. This also restricts them to schedules similar to those of larger game, forcing them to hunt in larger groups of up to 150 to obtain more food. Because of this, they have strong, cooperative teams that can go after stronger prey and round up animals with more proficiency.
Behavioural Adaptation Two:
Because of the harsher conditions of the desert, seasons outside of spring are unsuitable for raising young. This has made the long-tailed hyena's mating seasonal. By only mating during a specific time of the year, long-tailed hyenas are able to maximise their hunting time and kill more prey for food. The increase in food supply has led to a slight lengthening of their natural lifespans in the wild.
Physiological Adaptation:
Their entirely nocturnal lifestyle has made the long-tailed hyenas rely more on their hearing and communication via vocalization, leading to a drop in their larynx positions and an extension in their vocal tract length. The change in larynx position allowed them to make a greater variety of sounds and develop a more complex calls that reveal more information. For example, more melodic howls can be used to indicate a more precise number of enemies in the area. During hunts, long tailed hyenas are able to fire off short distanced grunts with enhanced variations in pitch to tell subordinates what positions to take. This has made the teamwork among clans of long-tailed hyenas more effective.
<< Ancestor
Modern Animal >>
Long-Tailed Hyena
Crocuta Caudaprolix
The long-tailed hyena evolved from the modern spotted Hyena and went on to inhabit desert areas further up north. It does not have many differences from the spotted hyena besides it's paler, plain coat, longer tail, longer legs and larger ears. Most of the changes are behavioral. It has an average lifespan of 38 years in the wild.
Taxonomy:
Habitat
They migrate constantly to find new water sources and prey, turning south to moister and more vegetated areas once the wet season is over. No long term territories are maintained and dens are only constructed during mating season in the spring.
Smaller groups can also be found in vegetated basins near the Sahel, or on the grasslands on low hills in the Sahel outcrops.
Adaptations
Structural Adaptation One:
The increased temperature of their habitat has caused the long-tailed hyena to sport larger ears with more blood vessels. These blood vessels allow more heat to escape into the air and help them can cool themselves down more quickly. By moving their ears back and forth, they can lower their temperature even further. Their larger ears help them to hear higher frequencies, as well as detect creatures underground that have the potential to be delicious snacks.Structural Adaptation Two:
Due to the increase in temperature, long-tailed hyenas cannot afford to chase prey for long hours on end and prefer to finish their hunts before the sun comes up. Thus, they have become more balanced in terms of endurance and speed and can travel faster. Their longer, flatter tails give them an edge in turning at angles. As well, their slightly longer legs give them a boost in speed at the cost of a small amount of power.
Behavioural Adaptation One:
The long-tailed hyenas almost never show themselves during the day to avoid the extreme heat of their desert environment. By feeding entirely at night and early morning, cubs can obtain sufficient water from the dew formed on leaves. This also restricts them to schedules similar to those of larger game, forcing them to hunt in larger groups of up to 150 to obtain more food. Because of this, they have strong, cooperative teams that can go after stronger prey and round up animals with more proficiency.
Behavioural Adaptation Two:
Because of the harsher conditions of the desert, seasons outside of spring are unsuitable for raising young. This has made the long-tailed hyena's mating seasonal. By only mating during a specific time of the year, long-tailed hyenas are able to maximise their hunting time and kill more prey for food. The increase in food supply has led to a slight lengthening of their natural lifespans in the wild.Physiological Adaptation:
Their entirely nocturnal lifestyle has made the long-tailed hyenas rely more on their hearing and communication via vocalization, leading to a drop in their larynx positions and an extension in their vocal tract length. The change in larynx position allowed them to make a greater variety of sounds and develop a more complex calls that reveal more information. For example, more melodic howls can be used to indicate a more precise number of enemies in the area. During hunts, long tailed hyenas are able to fire off short distanced grunts with enhanced variations in pitch to tell subordinates what positions to take. This has made the teamwork among clans of long-tailed hyenas more effective.Bibliography:
Davidson. "Food, Hunting, and Predation." Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta . N.p., 2004. Web. 29 Jul 2010. <http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/Behavior/Spring2004/roles/Food,%20Hunting,%20and%20Predation.htm>.
Latin dictionary. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/frivs/latin/latin-dict-full.html